Elevator for sign



Feb. 11, 1969 B. F. JONES, SR 3,426,868

ELEVATOR FOR 5 IGN Filed Jan. 9, 1967 INVENTOR BENJAMIN F. JONES V. 3% C 4 [F I 5. 4 54 56 M H/S ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,426,868 ELEVATOR FOR SIGN Benjamin F. Jones, Sr., Salt Lake City, Utah, assignor to Young Electric Sign Company, Salt Lake City, Utah,

a corporation of Utah Filed Jan. 9, 1967, Ser. No. 608,022

US. Cl. 182-129 11 Claims Int. Cl. E06c /32; Ell-lg 1/18, 3/10 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elevator, for signs with a plurality of change panel advertising faces secured at their opposite ends to vertical support poles, having a walkway which completely surrounds the sign and which is sized to move upwardly and downwardly on the sign, and lifting means for raising and lowering the walkway. I-beams are used as support poles when the sign is a two face one and positioning carriages are attached to the walkway which ride in the outside channels formed between the opposite ends of the I-beams for preventing lateral walkway movement.

This invention relates to an elevator, and in particular, to an elevator which is used in combination with a pluralface sign for changing the advertising panels of said sign.

In recent years the use of plural-face signs, especially double-face ones, has become very popular for advertising purposes. Such signs are conventionally supported by at least two vertically extending poles, such as conventional I-beams, with at least one advertising panel secured between said poles. Said advertising panel(s) generally lie in a plane which is substantially perpendicular with the plane which passes through the approximate center of the poles which support said panel(s). Such signs have been found to be particularly useful for advertising displays that must be supported at an elevation substantially above ground level. Because of the difficulty encountered in gaining access to the elevated advertising panel(s) of the type described they are generally provided with advertising means, such as printed lettering, which is to remain unchanged for a substantial period of time. It is, however, often necessary to change said panel(s) for the purpose of advertising different products and events. Conventional change panels may be used on signs that must be periodically changed to permit easy removal and replacement of advertising lettering. However, as previously indicated, because of the height of many plural-face signs of the type described, it has been necessary to use elevating means such as conventional scaffolding or a boom truck to reach the panel(s) which are to be changed. It then becomes a very time consuming project, as well as an expensive one, to change the panel(s). Accordingly, a great need has arisen for elevator means which are permanently secured to such signs and which are adapted to lift a person to the elevation of the signs change panels.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide an elevator which may be used to change the advertising panels of a plural-face sign which elevator overcomes the problems and disadvantages heretofore found in changing such signs and in the devices used for this purpose.

It is a further object of my invention to provide'an elevator in combination with a plural-face sign which may be used to elevate a person to the change panels of said sign and thereby enable said panels to be easily modified.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an elevator to be used in combination with a plural-face sign having change panels, wherein said elevator is adapted to provide a support platform which completely surrounds said sign.

3,42%,858 Patented Feb. 11, 1969 A still further object of my invention is to provide an elevator which surrounds a plural-face sign and which provides fence means around said sign for protecting plant growth under said sign.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a low cost elevator which surrounds a plural-face sign and which is attractive in appearance and easy to construct.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an elevator for a plural-face sign which may be easily operated by an individual who is to change the advertising panels of said sign.

A still further object of my invention is to provide an elevator which surrounds a double-face sign supported by two vertically extending I-beams.

Still further objects of my invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the invention is better understood by reference to the detailed description appearing hereinafter.

The foregoing objects and attendant advantages may be achieved by providing an elevator walkway which surrounds a plural-face sign supported by vertically extending poles wherein one such pole is positioned at each of the ends of each of said faces. Said faces are formed by at least one advertising change panel secured to said poles in a plane which is substantially parallel with a plane taken through the approximate center of the vertically extending poles which are positioned at the opposite ends of said face. Lift means are secured to said walkway for lifting and lowering it to a predetermined position on said sign whereby an individual standing on said walkway may be easily lifted to an elevation which enables him to change the advertising on said change panels. A handrail is preferably secured to said walkway proximate its periphery and at an elevation above said walkway which is suitable for holding by said individual using said walkway. In the most preferred embodiment of my invention the plural-face sign is a double-faced sign supported by two vertically extending I-beams with an advertising panel secured to each of the opposite sides of said I-beams.

So that the invention may be more readily understood and carried into effect, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which are offered by way of example only and are not to be taken as limiting the invention, the scope of which is defined by the appended claims, which obviously embrace equivalent structures and processes.

FIGURE 1 is a top view of a triple-face vertically extending sign which is surrounded by an elevator constructed according to my invention for changing advertising panels secured to said sign.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a conventional double-face sign showing the preferred elevator means of my invention surrounding said sign.

FIGURE 3 is a side view of one end of the double-face sign shown in FIGURE 2, showing the prefer-red positioning means of my invention for maintaining my elevator in a substantially horizontal plane as the walkway of said elevator is raised and lowered.

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, showing my preferred positioning means and its coaction with the I-beam which supports one end of the preferred double-face sign of my invention.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view of FIGURE 2 taken along line 5-5, showing one type of elevator lift means which may be used to raise and lower the walkway of my invention to any predetermined elevation.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, FIG- URE 1 shows a top view of a triple-face sign supported by poles 10, 12 and 14 which are positioned at the corners of said sign. Change panels 16, 18 and 20 are secured to said poles, i.e., change panel 16 is attached at its opposite ends to poles 10 and 12, change panel 18 is attached at its opposite ends to poles 12 and 14, and change panel is attached at its opposite ends to poles 14 and 10. Support plate 22 is secured to change panels 16, 18 and 20 proximate their top edge and is used to support lift means 24, such as a conventional electric motor with power take-off means, well known in the art. Said lift means 24 is used to raise and lower walkway 26 which surrounds said triple-face sign, i.e., walkway 26 is positioned about the periphery of said sign so that it may be freely raised and lowered. As indicated, lift means 24 raises and lowers walkway 24 by simultaneously driving cable drums 28, 30 and 32. Said cable drums in turn play out or wind up cables which are secured at their one end to walkway 26. As also indicated, the sign shown in FIG- URE 1 is a triple-face sign, i.e., it has three advertising display faces. It is within the scope of my invention to use a surrounding elevator for any sign having at least two faces. However, in the most preferred embodiment of my invention, an elevator of the type described is used in combination with a double-face sign having two support poles which are positioned at the opposite ends of each face.

FIGURE 2 is a perspecitve view of the most preferred sign and elevator of my invention. As shown, said sign is a double-faced one, i.e., it has two advertising display faces which are faced to point in opposite directions from each other. The sign is supported with beams 32 and 34, each of which are embedded at one end in ground 36 in a conventional fashion. Said beams are, of course, preferably supported in a substantially vertical position. While any conventional beams or poles may be used in the construction of said sign, in the preferred embodiment of my invention, a conventional I-beam, such as shown in said FIGURE 2, is used which makes possible certain construction that is not other wise obtainable, as will be hereinafter described. Change panels are secured proximate their opposite ends to each beam. For example, change panels 38 and 40 are secured at their opposite ends to one side of beams 32 and 34 and change panels 42 and 44 are secured at their opposite ends to the opposite side of said beams. In this fashion, a double-faced sign is formed having change panels positioned in a back to back relationship with each other. So that said change panels may be securely attached to beams 32 and 34, said beams are preferably buried in ground 36 so that the face 46 of ends 48 of each of said beams 32 and 34, best shown in FIG- URE 3, lie within a common plane formed by said faces. Said change panels 38, 40, 42 and 44 are preferably of a design which allows lettering 50 to be easily secured thereto and removed therefrom. Such lettering and change panels are conventional items which may be purchased from most sign manufacturers and distributors.

Walkway 52 is positioned around beams 32 and 34 so that it completely surrounds the change panels supported by said beams. Handrail 54 is secured to said walkway 52 proximate its outer edge, i.e., its periphery, with upwardly extending support members 56. Said support members 56 are preferably spaced sufficiently close together so as to prevent an individual from passing therebetween. In this fashion, support members 56 and handrail 54 provide a fence which completely surrounds walkway 52. Said fence can be used to protect flowers or other plant growth which has been planted directly beneath the double-face sign. When this is done, it is generally desirable to provide gate means which allows easy access to walkway 52 through said support means 56 and handrail 54. Walkway 52 may be raised and lowered with activation means 58, hereinafter described, which controls the movement of cables 60 secured at one end to said walkway 52. Said activation means 56 also controls the movement of cables 62 which are in turn connected at one end to counterweights 64 which offset a portion of the weight of walkway 52. Said counterweights 64 are adapted to move upwardly and downwardly in the channel formed between ends 48 of I-beams 32 and 34.

As previously indicated, beams 32 and 34 are preferably conventional I-beams. When beams of this type are used, a positioning dolly of the type shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 maybe used to hold walkway 52 in proper relationship with said beams 32 and 34. Said positioning dolly is sized to fit in the outside channels formed between opposite ends 48 of said I-beams. It generally comprises an elongated frame member which may be constructed in any conventional fashion. For purposes of description reference will be made to the positioning dolly which coacts with I-beam 32. It should be noted, however, that a similar positionnig dolly coacts with I-beam 34. As shown in the drawings, said elongated frame member comprises lower spacer 68 and upper spacer 70 which are sized to fit between said ends 48 of said beams 32, each of said spacers being provided with conventional rollers 72 which are rotatably mounted at the opposite ends of said spacers for coacting with inside faces 74 and 76 of ends 48 of said beam 32. As shown in FIGURE 3, spacers 68 and 70 are separated from each other and each of said spacers are held in a substantially horizontal position. Said spacers are then secured to each other with vertically extending supports 78 and diagonal supports 80. Walkway 52 is then attached to said aligning dolly through the use of outwardly extending support arms 82 which are securely attached to lower spacer 68. The aligning dolly of my invention is maintained at a position spaced apart from inside surface 84 of I-beam 32 by inwardly extending positioning arms 86, which arms are attached at one end to lower spacer 68 and are provided with rotatably mounted rollers 82 at their other end which coact with said surface 84. This may be seen in detail in FIGURE 4 which is a cross-sectional view of FIGURE 3. Cable 60, for raising and lowering said walkway 52, is attached to upper spacer 70 of my aligning dolly through the use of conventional U bolt which is fixedly attached to said spacer 70.

As previously indicated, walkway 52 moves upwardly and downwardly on a sign of the type previously described. It is desirable that said walkway 52 be sized so that its inside perimeter 91 pass relatively close to the outside face of lettering 50 which is secured to change panels 38, 40, 42 and 44. By using an aligning dolly with upper and lower spacers 68 and 70 having rollers 72 secured to their ends, which rollers coact with inside surfaces 74 and 76 of I-beam 32, lateral movement of walkway 52 is substantially entirely prevented when the load on said walkway 52 is shifted. Longitudinal movement of said catwalk 52 is also prevented by positioning arms 86 and their coacting rollers 88.

One type of activation means 58 which may be used to activate walkway 52 is shown in detail in FIGURE 5. Said activation means includes motor 92 which drives shaft 94. Said shaft 94 in turn is secured to cable drums 96 and 98 which have elevator cable wound thereon. One end of the cable wound on each of said drums 96 and 98, i.e., end 60, is secured to walkway 52 as previously described, and the other end of said cable, i.e., end 62, is secured to counterweight 64. Accordingly, when walkway 52 is raised, counterweight 64 is lowered and, conversely, when walkway 52 is lowered, counterweight 64 is raised. In this fashion, motor 94 need not be as large as one required in a device not using counterweights. Said shaft 94 is supported in a conventional fashion, at its end opposite from motor 92, with support arm 100. In turn, said support arm 100 and motor 92 are supported on base plate 66 which is secured to change panels 40 and 44 proximate their top edge. While only a single activation cable is shown in FIGURE 5 for activating each side of said walkway 52, it is to be noted that any conventional cable stringing method, including the use of a plurality of support cables, is within the scope of my invention, Said cable is positioned to slide over conventional rotatably mounted pulleys 102 or smooth grooved surface secured to the upper edge of beams 32 and 34 to prevent said cable from wearing as it slides over the edge of said beams. In

the preferred embodiment of my invention, motor 92 which activates cable drums 96 and 98 is a reversible motor with braking means included therein for providing an internal brake when said motor 92 is not activated. It is, of course, within the scope of my invention to use a motor which rotates under power in only one direction. When a motor of this type is used walkway 52 is raised by activating said motor and is lowered by the force of gravity. However, as previously indicated, it is preferred to use a reversible motor which will control the movement of said walkway 52 in an upwardly or downwardly direction. The controls for activating said motor 92 are conventional well known electrical on-otf switching means and are preferably positioned so that they can be activated and deactivated by a person standing on walkway 52.

In operating the elevator of my invention for the purpose of changing the advertising panels of a plural-face sign, an individual merely stands on walkway 52 and activates motor 92 to thereby rotate drums 96 and 98 so that the ends 60 of cables wound on said drums are pulled upwardly. This then moves said walkway 52 upwardly to a predetermined elevation, i.e., to the elevation of the change panel which is to be modified. Motor 92 is then deactivated by opening the motor control switch. The braking means within said motor 92 prevents said walkway from moving downwardly and thereby retains said walkway 52 at said predetermined elevation. The lettering on the change panel is then modified in a conventional fashion. Thereafter, said motor 92 is activated, but in a reverse direction, so that end 60 of the cables wound on drums 96 and 98 moves downwardly until catwalk 52 is resting securely on ground 36. At this point said motor 92 is then deactivated by opening its control switch. At this position, the elevator appears to be a guardrail used to prevent access to the flowers or other plant life growing beneath the plural-face sign.

Whereas there is here illustrated and specifically described a certain preferred construction which is presently regarded as the best mode of carrying out the invention, it should be understood that various changes may be made and other construction adopted without departing from the inventive subject matter particularly pointed out and claimed.

I claim:

1. In combination with a sign having an advertising face secured to vertically extending spaced supports, an elevator which comprises a walkway; outwardly facing guide means secured to said spaced supports for guiding said walkway as it is raised and lowered on said supports; positioning means sized to ride in said guide means and support said walkway; and lifting means secured to said positioning means and to said supports for raising and lowering said positioning means in said guide means.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein a handrail is secured to the periphery of said walkway.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said outwardly facing guide means are channels secured to said supports.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said supports are I-beams.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein a plurality of advertising faces are attached to said vertically extending supports and said walkway is adapted to be positioned adjacent to each of said advertising faces when said walkway is raised and lowered on said supports.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said advertising faces are secured to the opposite sides of said support poles and said walkway surrounds said sign.

7. In combination with a sign having vertically extending spaced supports and an outside facing advertising face secured to said supports, an elevator which comprises a walkway surrounding said sign sized to be raised and lowered on said supports to a position substantially adjacent to said advertising face; and lifting means secured to said walkway and said supports for supporting said walkway on said supports and for raising and lowering said walkway.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein a plurality of advertising faces are attached to said vertically extending supports.

9. The combination of claim 7 wherein a handrail is secured to the periphery of said walkway.

10. The combination of claim 7 wherein said lifting means comprises a plurality of cable means for lifting said walkway, with at least one such cable means secured to each of said positioning means; and motor driven drum means for winding and unwinding the said cable means to raise said walkway on said sign when said cable means are wound on said drum means and lower said walkway on said sign when said cable means are unwound from said drum means.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said positioning means are provided with rollers which coact with said I-beams when said walkway is raised and lowered on said sign.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,616,743 2/1927 Ericsson 182145 3,071,871 1/1963 Ramseur. 3,156,317 11/1964 Lundeen 182-146 FOREIGN PATENTS 694,915 9/1964 Canada.

REINALDO P. MACHADO, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 182-145 

